Game apparatus



Oct. 1, 1946.

E. B. SANCHEZ GAME APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet Inventa r i a) 77227205 Sana/fez 5. B. SANCHEZ GAME APPARATUS Oct. 1, 1946.

Filed April 20, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Oct. 1', 1946.

' E. Bl SANCHEZ GAME APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Patented Oct. 1, 1946 GAME ArrARA'riIs Emilio B. Sanchez, Miami, Fla. Application April 20, 1945, sem No. 589,300

My invention relatesto improvements in appa ratus for playing games, the primary object in view being to provide means of simple form and inexpensive construction, particularly adapted for playing a number of games involving the elements of chance, color selection and awards, and in which a number of persons mayparticipate.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended. by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. 2

' In said drawings: D

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the dispensing device forming part of my improved apparatus, V 1

Figure 2 is a view in plan of the same, with the relative position of the operating levers changed,

Figure 3 is a view in vertical transvers 'section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, V

Figure 4 is a view in plan of the base structure,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the manner in which the device is operated by one of the operating levers,

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of one of the operating leversdetached,

Figure '7 i avi'ew in perspective of the post,

Figure 8,is' a schematic view of the series of 'player pieces. I I Referring to the drawings by numerals, the basic elements of my improved game apparatus are a dispensing device and a series of player pieces now to be described inidetail in the pre- 'ferred embodiment thereof illustrated,

The dispensing device, designated generally I, comprises a frusto-conicalhousing 2- including a top '3, a bottom 4 of disc-like form,provided with a central rectangular opening 5 therein, for a purpose presently seen, a pair of diametrically opposite, rectangular side openings 6 of less height than that of the housing, a pair of coin chutes I, 8 depending from the top 3 infthe plane of the openings 6 and to the level of said openings, said chutes being arranged upon opposltesides of the vertical center of the housing 2 close to said center, and a tubular axial guide 8' depending from the top- 3 for a short distance. Partition wings 9 .at oppositesides of the openings B provide, together with said openings and the bottom 4, a pair of side vestibules In in said housing. (Flanged guards H extending outwardly from the. bottom 4 .are provided for each vestibule H] to prevent articles from rolling out or .said vestibules.

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-438) reinforce said wall member 24.

' I ll outwardly.

Within the housing 2 is a rectangular box em-- bodying sides, as at [La bottom [3 and a pair of op'positeldoors l4 hinged, as at l5, to the sides 12 at upper edges thereof to open into the vestibules The bottom l3 of said box fits in the opening 5, th sides 12 of the box also fit in said opening 5 and are vertically slidable against suitable guides 16 vertically disposed in the housing 2,"and the doors l4 close with their lower edges overlapping'opposite sides of the bottom of said box so that the entire box is vertically slidable at its bottom into and out of said opening 5 for a purpose presently apparent. A vertical partition I1 of inverted V shape divides the described box into a pair of compartments l8, l9, each closed by one of the doors l4 and opening onto one of the vestibules ID. The partition I! forms a back wall for each compartment l8, l9 inclining downwardly and outwardly of the compartment and thereby tending to cause articles deposited in the compartments l8, I9 to roll out of the compartments into said vestibules. As will be understood, the top of the described box is open and the chutes 1, 8 are arranged above the compartments l8, I9, respectively. A topcross bar 20 in the described box slidably disposed on the guide 8 prevents said box from tilting at its top.

The guide 8' is flared, as at 2|, at its lower end to prevent the guide bar from coming oil the same and the described box from dropping through the opening 5. A suitably arranged bail-type spring 22 bears against the doors [4 and urges the same toward opening position.

Beneath the described housing 2 is a base structure comprising a rectangular base panel 23 having centered thereon and suitably secured thereto an annular wall-forming member 24 of the same size as the bottom 4 of said housing 2 and upon the upper edge of which said bottom is suitably secured at its edge. Radial partition members 25 extend inwardly from the wall member 24 for a short distance on the panel 23 and Spaced-apart guide strips 26 are provided on the inner ends of the partition members 25 and serve a purpose presently seen.

Lever-operated means for elevating the described box is provided on the base structure as follows: In the center of the panel 23 is a short upstanding bearing sleeve 21. A post 28 is slidably and rotatably mounted at its lower end in said sleeve 21 and extends upwardly through an opening 29 in the bottom l3 of the box and likewise through an opening 30 in the partition [1 with its upper end terminating adjacent the bottom of the guide 8' and terminating in a reduced extension 3!. A collar 32 on the post 28 rests on top of the sleeve 27 and supports said post. A radial lug 33 on th collar 32 underlies the bottom l3 of the described box and supports the same. A plurality of operating levers 34 extend radially into the wall member 24 through slots in said member with their inner ends adapted to underlie the lugs 33. The operating levers 34 are pivotally mounted, for vertical movement, on an annular wire frame 36 extended through the partition members 25, and swing between said partition members 25 and the strips 26 which form guides for the same. Loop-like wire stops-3T rising from the panel 23 between the partition members 25 limit upward swinging of the inner ends of said operating levers 34. The operatinglevers 34, at their outer ends, are each of, a different color and numbered consecutively around the device in one direction beginning with No. 1 and as shown in Figure 4. If desired, the post 28 maybe provided in the lower end thereof with a bearing pin 38 for engagement with the panel 23 to, relieve the sleeve 21' and collar 32 of end thrust. The post 28 is designed to be rotated into diilerent set positions and for this purpose a setting key 33 with a forked end is provided for insertion through the guide 8 to straddle the extension 3| of said post.

Returning now to the housing 2 and the described box, the top 3 of said housing, over one vestibule I3, is provided with the legend "Color game and on the other side over the other vestibule 3 with the legend Lucky game, thus dividing the device into a color game side and a lucky game side, the compartment l8 and chute i being associated with the color game side,

whereas the compartment 11 and chute 3 are associated with the lucky game side. The door [4 for the compartment I8 is provided with a suitable pivoted latch 4| for swinging into the opening 5, toprevent said door i4 from opening when the described box is operated in a manner to be described. The chute l' is provided with a suitable closure 42.

The player pieces 43, are of checker-like form, there being one for each operating lever 34 colored and numbered in correspondence therewith.

The panel 23. may be provided at the corners thereof with lifting knobs 44 for use in lifting the dispensing device to carry the same from place to place.

Referring now briefly to the operation of the described dispensing device. Normally, the bottom l3 of thedescribed box is disposed below the level of the topface of the bottom 4 of the-housing 2, saidbottom i 3 resting on the collar 32 and lug 33. and the collar 32 and bearing pin 38 supporting the post 28, the collar by resting on the upper end of the sleeve 27, and the bearing pin by resting on thepanel 23. In this position ofthe parts, the lower edges of the doors [4 are caught behind opposite side edges of the opening 5 and blocked against opening. If the post 28 is rotated to align the lugs 33 vertically with the inner end of any operating lever 34, depression of the .outer end of that operating lever 34 will cause said operating lever to lift the lug 33 on. the P st 28, the lug and collar 33, 32 lifting the bottom 13 of the described box and hence the entire box a limited distance established by the limit of movement of said key 34. The limit of movement of the described box upwardly is sufficient for the lower edges of the doors M to clear the bottom 4 of the housing 2 so that said doors may be opened by the spring 22.

The described apparatus is designed particularly for playing the following games:

5 With the post 28 rotated by means of the key 39 into a starting position, players corresponding in number to the number of operating levers 34 deposit coins, or other like awards, into the compartment ll on the lucky game side of the dispensing device through the chute 8'. The players then draw blindly a playing piece 43 and the one drawing the player piece with the lowest number thereon starts the game by selecting an operating lever 34, by color, and operating the same. If the selected operating lever lifts the lug 33 and post 28 so that the door 14 of the compartmen-t 11' files open, the player wins the contents of. the compartment I! which may be removed through the adjacent vestibule It). If the first player fails to win, the others play in like manner consecutively according to the player pieces numbered as drawn.

Another game is played in the same manner as that previously described with the exception that a player winning by selection of an operating lever 34; must subsequently draw from the player pieces 43, blindly, the player piece corresponding in color tothe color, of the operating lever which he selected; A player so drawing wins; otherwise,the player loses.

In a third game, one of the. players acts as a banker and deposits in the compartment I! on the lucky game side of the device through the chute 8 whatever amount of money, or number of awards, he chooses. -The door l4 of the compartment 18 on, the color game side of the device is locked by means of the locking member 4| and the players must deposit in the locked compartment l8. an amount prescribed by the banker for each play. The players, may select operating levers 34, as in thefirst game, or select operating levers 34 and draw player pieces, asv in the second' game. However, in this last-described game, the player isfree to turn the post 28, for each of 45 his plays to attempt to align the lugs 33 with the operating lever 34 selected by him. This game may also be variedby according the right to turn the post 28 to the banker. Of course, in this last-describedgame, the banker takes the deposit in the locked compartment I3 when the players have finished.

.Other gamesmay be also played with the described game apparatus, but those set forth in the foregoing are deemed to be sufiiciently illustrative of the range of utility of the apparatus as an amusement device.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a,clear understanding. of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from theinventive concept, and right isherein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

WhatI claim. is:

1. Apparatus, for playing games comprising a base structure, operating levers extending into said structure and grouped around the center thereof, a housing surmounting the base structure and having a pair of vestibules at opposite sides thereof, and a, pair of coin chutes in the top thereof, a vertically movable box in said housing between, said vestibules divided into a pair of open-top compartments vertically aligned with said chutes, respectively, and provided with between said vestibules divided into a pair ofopen-top compartments vertically aligned with said chutes, respectively, and provided with normally locked doors opening into said vestibules under vertical movement of said box, and means operative by said operating levers for moving said box vertically comprising a post rising out of said structure into said box and mounted on said struicture for vertical movement and rotation thereon, said post being adapted to be moved by the operating levers, and means on said post settable by rotation of the post to predetermine which operating lever shall move the same.

3. Apparatus for playing games comprising a base structure, operating levers extending into said structure and grouped around the center thereof, a housing surmounting the base structure and having a pair of vestibules at opposite sides thereof, and a pair of coin chutes in the top thereof, a vertically movable box in said housing between said vestibules divided into a pair of open-top compartments vertically aligned with said chutes, respectively, and provided with normally locked doors opening into saidvestibules under vertical movement of said box, and means operative by said operating levers for moving said box vertically comprising a post rising out of said structure into said box and mounted on said structure for vertical movement and rotation thereon, said post being adapted to be moved by the operating levers, and means on said post settable by rotation of the post to predetermine which operating lever shall move the same comprising a lug settable into overlying relation to any one operating lever.

- 4. Apparatus for playing games comprising a base structure, operating levers extending into said structure and grouped around the center thereof, a housing surmounting the base structure and having a pair of vestibules at opposite sides thereof, and apair of coin chutes in the top thereof, a vertically movable box in said housing between said vestibules divided into a pair of open-top compartments vertically aligned with said chutes, respectively, and provided with normally locked doors opening into said vestibules under vertical movement of said box, and means operative by said operating levers for moving said box vertically, and a key for rotating said post detachably therefrom.

EMILIO LB. SANCHEZ. 

